A SWORDSMITH'S TSUBA

Details
A SWORDSMITH'S TSUBA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1850), SIGNED YASUIE AND KAO

The rounded trapezoid-shape iron plate has a wide raised rim and a sunken web carved in low relief with a hexagonal brocade design with kiri mon in the upper right and lower left overlapping the rim. The lower right is pierced with udenuki-ana. The reverse repeats the design--height 8.6cm., width 8cm., thickness at center 4mm., at edge 5.75mm.

Lot Essay

Yasuie was a member of the Shinowara family of Edo. He studied under Suishinshi Masahide and perhaps Iwata Norisuke II. No signed blades are recorded but several guards by him are listed in Japanese and Occidental collections.